Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Turkey 7 : Unexpected

After losing myself in paradise, surrounded by colorful autumn colors and solemn snow mountain ridge for two days, I decided to move on to the next destination - Kars located at border of Turkey and Armenia. The only van that travel in the morning from Barhal village to Yusufeli is at 7am. Dragged myself out from the warm bed, took breakfast prepared by the family and sayonara to the paradise in the cold morning.

The van traveled along the crystal clear streams in a narrow valley all the way to Yusufeli town. However, I cannot get any bus or van that travel to Kars from Yusufeli. Since I was traveling by myself, and my journey are unplanned, I took out my guide book, looked at the map for Northeastern Anatolia, simply choose a destination on the map - chosen Ardahan as long as it leads me to Kars next. After checking with the bus office, mostly with sign language and one two single words, I hopped on a bus destined to Artvin. Journey to Artvin from Yusufeli is not really a pleasant one, as construction of dam was in progress that time. When the minibus reached the junction leading into Artvin town, the bus driver asked me to go down - pointed at another bus - that is the bus to Ardahan. There I go on my journey to Ardahan via Cam Pass at 2540m.

This journey is unexpectedly amazing, passing through yaylalar (pastures) settlement, and an old Georgian town of Savsat.

Continuing east the bus crossed over the Cam Pass at 2540m, through winding roads with amazing settlements and scenery along the way. After the high mountain pass, leaving all the lush wooded valleys, and I came to a different landscape of Turkey - the Plateau which leads into Ardahan. It was end of autumn at that time, and a lot of temporary shields for the herdsman were left empty. However, I could still see herds of cows, goats and horses on the plateau. This part of Turkey is having its own uniqueness, not only in landscape but lifestyle.

It was a gloomy day and that make me decided to continue my journey even though how I hope to jump down from the bus at one of the settlements along the way. However, I indeed enjoyed this unexpected view on my unplanned journey.

P/S : I am a very lazy photographer, and not the type who always hang my camera on my neck everywhere I go during my journey. A lot of time I see, I feel and I store all these experience in my very own memory card. Best way is - be there and feel it.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

小故事 :黑暗后更加灿烂

2009年7月22日我圆了我的一个梦想。

我经历了全程大约三个小时左右的一场日全食。这次经历对我而言不单单是一场天文奇观,但那过程却带给了我一个更加根深蒂固的领悟,更是我牢记在心的一个鼓励和提醒。

当太阳的光芒开始被月亮慢慢地掩盖的那一刻开始,就好比我们人生,如事业,家庭等开始进入低潮期般。我们的灿烂光芒开始慢慢地失去,一步步地进入了黑暗期。在日全食过程中,真正的高潮便是那黑暗期,也只有在那全日食期的时候,我们看到了那黑暗旁的光环 (Corona)。其实人生也一样,或许你会认为黑暗低潮期是非常难受的,其实在那黑暗期间,那人生中的光环已在成型,让我们变得更加坚强。

日全食的高潮期也就是太阳被完全掩盖的时候有长有短。有时可长达超过五分钟,有时则是短短不到两分钟。人生的低潮期也一样,有时你可能在很短的时间内就走去来了,有时可能挨个几年都没有进展。但是在那黑暗期间,光环已环绕着我们。当那黑暗期一过,那发射出来的第一道光芒就好比钻石般灿烂。这两张有着珍贵回忆的照片,不单单让我圆了我的梦想,更成了我生活中遇到不顺利时的鼓励,我生命中的低潮慢慢地塑造我,让我更加坚强和勇敢地去面对我人生中的低潮与黑暗期。

Sunday, May 16, 2010

小故事 : 一场“空”一场“欢喜”

最近和友人到泰国南部一个小地方走走看看。第一天乘船游的时候看到一条长长不知通往那里的桥,或高架道路。结果决定去像当地人租借摩多到处逛逛。那个地方只有租借二人或三人式脚踏车,并没有正式租借摩多的地方,所以我只好用手语来和当地游客中心的一名工作人员租借他的私人“假座”。

和他拿了摩多钥匙,说了一声拜拜。。。我和友人就出发咯。。。

我俩开心的在猛烈的阳光下奔驰着,一路上往那长长的桥走,停停走走看美景拍照,有时则热得不行了找棵小树在那树荫下纳会儿凉,或到路旁的小食挡来杯冰凉可口的啤酒或汽水。。感觉棒极了。。

正当我们停在路旁欣赏着那美丽的湿地景色时,我的朋友突然对我说 “摩多好像不能START了。”接着尝试了多次,用手的用脚的启动方式都用了,那引擎一丁点反应都没。想了想我们根本也没和那摩多主人的任何联络方式。结果我只好在那不是太繁忙的路上开始向每一辆经过多的车招手求救。终于一位好心的冰淇淋三轮车女人停车了。接着便是一番手语的沟通,当时的我做了三个动作 - 第一是手转摩托钥匙的动作,接着举起手做了“没有”的动作,再来一个手持电话的动作。之后她就开始拿起手机叽里咕噜的讲了大约五分钟,没结果。。恰巧有辆TUT TUT 经过,好心人马上为我们招停了那 TUT TUT, 帮我们和那司机解释了我们的困境。之后大伙儿便把摩多搬上TUT TUT,朝我们回去的路的反方向走了。


原来司机是要带我们到附近修理摩多的店。到达后不到一分钟我们的摩多就可以启动了。那摩多店的老板指给我们看为何我们不能启动引擎,原来。。。。。为了安全起见,如果那摩多的扶脚没离地,引擎是不能发动的。我们停停走走了那么多次都没问题,因为我朋友都是在骑上摩多后才启动引擎,唯有那一次是在上车前启动,摩多脚没离地。这设计可是和我们国家的有点不同哦。。

好乌龙也,结果我们俩和那店主还有TUT TUT 上的所有乘客都笑翻了。我们也顺便像那店外的冰淇淋小贩买了两支雪糕,一边笑着一边享受冰淇淋。。

回想那摩多主人对我们还真信任,就只问了我们是否住在那间湖边的民宿。没抵押金或证件,也没留下任何联络方式,就把摩多教了给我俩。或许那地方基本上根本没几个外国游客,所以我们要跑也跑不了吧。。呵呵。。有时回想或许我在大城市呆久了,不免对人心有猜疑..对那摩多主人而言或许就是那纯粹的信任吧..防人之心不可无,但有时带着太多的戒备也许会让我失去了体验当地人的真性情.

我们就在那 “一场空一场欢喜”的情况下结束了一天的悠闲行程。

Thursday, May 13, 2010

小故事 : 鸡婆的回报

我是一个舍得把钱拿去买我爱收集的手工艺品,却不舍得付费搭德士的孤寒旅者。

土耳其的Cappadocia绝对是一个值得一游的地方,但因为那里的食宿等都相当的旅游商业化,因此我不想在那里呆太久,决定搭车到下一站Konya。可惜只剩下8pm的车票,行程3个小时,算一算只要在12pm前到达车站,我就可以乘地铁到市中心住宿。(Konya车站离市中心大约30公里吧)。算盘打得太响,结果巴士在离午夜10分钟才抵达Konya车站,一下车的我就往轻快铁站冲,结果售票站工作人员正拉下铁甲。。关门了。。我试着哀求他多卖我一张票,可惜他摇摇头走啦。。

接着我便带着希望再往车站走碰碰运气,结果往市区的小巴也收工啦。。难道真要我付LIRA35左右的德士费吗?LIRA35大约马币85块也,很心疼。。看到路边有两三辆德士看似在等人,我就鸡婆去问一问其中一个司机是否在等人,那我就可能省少少来个和他正等待的乘客分担车费。结果就给我问个正着。那司机先生MR ABDULLAH 联络不上从CAPPADOCIA搭车来的老外客人。我认得那两位与我同车的外国朋友, 也知道他们已往车站里走。所以我就自告奋勇带那司机先生去找他的客人。结果我不但有了一趟免费的车程,当我说我的住宿预算非常有限,MR ABDULLAH 还带我到一家地点比较安全,地点也相当方便的客栈,并帮我和柜台的人讨价到我的预算。第二天我还到他店里喝茶拜访他。
MR ABDULLAH 说得一口流利的英语。聊着聊着才知道原来他可是一些外国历史学家爱雇用的德士司机。因此他也从这些历史学家们身上学习到不少详细的土耳其历史。
旅途中遇到好人是幸运的,更加是温馨感动的。

Thursday, April 29, 2010

广西游第一篇 : 闹轰轰花炮节

节庆是旅游者接触当地文化的好管道.幸运地在我广西第一站富录就让我遇上侗族的大庆典.花炮节每年三月三在广西北部的富录举行,犹如侗族和苗族们的庙会.远近百里侗族村寨的男男女女都盛装打扮到这里参加这一个在河岸边举行的庆典.大家都把最好的,最华丽的服饰,银器等呈现给所有到访者.

在庆典开始前,各个村子的队伍聚集在广场附近的一所学校.到齐后大伙儿就随着带队的鞭炮声往河岸走.
这类庆典当然少不了开幕仪式和村委致词.在抢花炮开始前,各个村斋的代表队代表队为大家献上表演.侗族大歌,吹奏芒筒,芦笙表演等让我感受到这些代表们落力地带来精彩的表演,为各自的村寨添上光彩,更体现出强烈的集体意识和团结精神.

(一) 芦笙队篇 - 这比赛吹奏出来的节奏协调反映出队友间的默契.
(二) 美女篇-花炮节也是联谊的好时机.因此每一位少女都细心装扮把最美丽的呈现给心仪的对象.
(三) 阿姨篇 - 阿姨们也很有魅力哦.

(四) 儿童篇 - 看那被烈日晒得红彤彤的脸颊好可爱也(五) 侗族大歌表演篇 - 还记得当天我成功挤到贴着这舞台的前面观赏表演,像买了头等票般聆听着这一班阿姨用丹田发出的美妙歌声.


(六) 吹奏芒筒 - 看看那落力的表演,吹奏到那腮都贡了起来.儿童少年吹奏小版的芒筒,而大人们则表演大版的芒筒.这表演更能体现出表演者的同心一致.

抢花炮的任务通常落在年轻小伙子身上.花炮其实是一个绑上红绿丝线的小铁圈置放在土炮上,随点燃后的土炮冲入云天.代表各个村寨的抢花炮队将激烈的争夺那飞上云天的花炮.如果花炮掉入河里,大家也不惜冲入河里去抢夺花炮.抢花炮的过程犹如美式橄榄球赛般.花炮可分为三炮.夺得花炮不但为村寨带来荣耀, 而且每一炮各有其意义.第一炮象征着吉祥如意,二炮代表风调雨顺,而三炮则为寨子带来五谷丰登. 抢得花炮的代表队也将获得镜屏,红猪,米酒等礼物.除此以外,更有赞助商捐献出礼品如彩电等给获得花炮的队伍.


团结互助对这些山区里的少数民族是非常重要的.唯有大家同心协力才能让日常生活作息如收割等待变得更加轻松,任何困难也能迎刃而解.





贵州行之第十七篇 : 只因有你

备注 : 这是我在好久以前写给我路上的朋友们的一封信.想想应该是两年前的这个时候吧.


独自踏上旅途,但却让我走过一段不孤单的旅程.一路从贵州走到广西,都有来自各地的朋友相伴同行,你们的热 情和友情的手让我的旅程中多了不少色彩,更让我在这个世界多了一位朋友.或许在中国的你不能进入这个网站看我的消息和照片 (我的博客),但我还是要借此与各位表达我的感谢和祝福,也希望可以借着EMAIL&电话来联系.大家有缘再见.

有我在贵阳和后来又再阳朔遇见的英国COUPLE (PHI & DAN)

有我在黄果树同游来自天津的王 博姐 (谢谢你让我成为你VIDEO里的一个角色)

有我在兴义遇见的上海朋友,黄磊(难忘那边吃边抹汗和把辣椒拿开的烤鱼)

有在贵阳与我分享你走遍伟大旅游 计划的加拿大朋友

有同游郎徳及西江的深圳/卢沽湖朋友,小屈

有与我同游西江,从江,芭沙以及小黄寨来自山东的马琳和深圳的晓萍(难忘我们一起在从江追新郎和新娘,到小黄因公车出问题而一起步行上山,以及一起享用可爱老阿嬷为我们准备的酸汤粉)

有在去肇兴路上相识的杨姐,莫老板和另一位朋友(你们的热情让我毕生难忘,不但与我同游堂安寨,更热情的招待我晚饭-有杨姐自己掩制的侗家掩鱼,有莫老板拿手的凉拌菜和火锅啤酒牛肉,大家一起唱歌喝酒的时光)

有在肇兴相识的一班可爱的老师 們(X2, ,杨和夏老师),不但招待我好吃的苗家酸汤鱼,沈老师掩制的美味腊肉以及侗家酒, 大家一起看表演,以及那聊不完的话)

托杨姐的福到堂安寨村委会家做客,热情招待我这位外国朋友的吴坤龙大哥

更难忘来送我上车到下一站的杨姐和沈老师,还给我送上纪念品和饮料.那一刻,一向来感性 的我真的好依依不舍,为了留下美好的印象,只好把眼泪留在眼框里.

一起到富录参加三月三花炮节的 北方朋友

有在龙脊金坑梯田田头寨有说有笑的一班朋友-柳州的小姚和钟慧,韩国的柳先生,广东的飞机和小鱼,以及在桂林读书的小卢. 虽然遇到浓雾弥漫的天气让我无法看到龙脊梯田的壮观,但主人家的热情接待 陈哥, 潘大姐,陈姐以及小倩倩让我在那里待了自在舒服的好几天.那一碟由我们自己在路上采摘的竹笋特别美味.

偶遇在漓江徒步途中的贵阳以及重庆的朋友们

还有在那阳朔-深圳的茫茫长途车上相识的李昌杰,一位有干劲的年轻人.

有了这么多人的陪伴,我这一趟独自出游的旅途怎么还可能孤单呢?

通讯科技让世界变得好小,但要相遇相识决不容易,更何况是在那强大的中国.或许我们就只有那一面之缘,但我的祝福都与各位相伴.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Turkey 6 : Lost In Paradise

After my stay in the busy town Trabzon in Black Sea Region, I moved on to mountain village in Yusufeli. Only one bus company operates direct journey from Trabzon to Yusufeli, with stops along the way. The bus travels through the scenic coastal way of black sea, then uphill to Artvin and further up to Yusufeli. I continued my journey from Yusufeli to Barhal village. The road journey is extremely scenic with beautiful valleys, mountainscape and emerald river. In old days, the castle was built on the mountain to saveguard the whole area from enemy.
Barhal village is one the base for trekkers in Kackar or Altiparmak mountain range. A very small village with few shops supplying all kinds of groceries including camping equipments such as gas canister, etc. And definitely there is also restaurant or tea shop, as the Cay culture is everywhere you go in Turkey.I was told that the pension I will be staying is located somewhere like this pension. Luckily there is a pulley system which transport stuff up to the pension. This pulley system is used by most village houses located at hill slopes. I stayed in pension runned by Karahan's family. I was the only guest at that time as the trekking season has over. I was glad to have company of a young lovely pre-school teacher, Turkan who is just about to start her teaching life in Barhal village. The dinner with the family was great, with lenthil soup, stuffed capsicum etc all prepared by the mama and younger brother of Karahan family. Breakfast served with village honey and homemake cream.

So how I spent my day in this village since I dont have any plan to go trekking in Kackar or Altiparmak range? To me, it is indeed one of the most "colorful" day of my journey. I simply lost in paradise. My walking journey from Barhal village up toward Naznara located at base of Altiparmak ridge is such a leisure for me. Once I was lying on pasture admiring beautiful wild flowers, then you can find me relaxing by the stream, or sometimes I was lying on rocks taking nap with beautiful snow ridge in front of me.

Most of the houses are made of wood, and the design is almost similar, with storage space and drying rack for crops. It is harvest season for fruits. The villagers are so hospitable waving at me inviting me into their courtyard and share the fresh walnut harvested from their orchard. Some villagers even feed me with apples. My short stay in this area is colorful and memorable, not only due to the wonderful autumn colors but the friendliness and hospitality of the villagers.


More photos on the link to my flickr album http://www.flickr.com/photos/ahbeelim/sets/72157622773766411/